Author Carolyn Brown Visits

It is my great pleasure to welcome back award-winning author Carolyn Brown as the special guest blogger here today at Thoughts in Progress.

Many of you may remember Carolyn from her previous visits here. She’s back today to talk about her latest release, HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS, the last installment in the Honky Tonk series. In addition, thanks to Carolyn and Danielle at Sourcebooks, I have two sets of the Honky Tonk series (four books each) to give away to two lucky readers who comment on Carolyn’s post between now and 8 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, Nov. 24. Be sure to include your e-mail address with your comment if it’s not included in your profile.

Carolyn is always a delight to host. I not only enjoy her books, but also her visits here. She’s answering some questions for me so without further ado, here’s Carolyn.

I’m here! Bring out the donuts and coffee and let’s talk. I just love visiting this site! My Give a Damn’s Busted and Honky Tonk Christmas are both on the racks now! Aren’t they some kind of gorgeous lined up next to I Love This Bar and Hell, Yeah! All those sexy cowboys on one book shelf just about takes your breath away doesn’t it? I understand y’all have questions for me today so I’ll stop rattlin’ on about my sexy cowboys and sassy heroines. Okay, first question … just a minute, I need one more donut. They don’t have fat grams or calories if I’m answering questions so I can have an extra one this morning! Pretty tasty; now I’ll lick the sticky off my fingers and we’ll get down to business.

Mason: Your series features country music in each book. If they couldn't listen to country music, what type of music would each couple from your books listen to?

Carolyn: Oh, my! Oh, dear! The world with no country music? That would close down the Honky Tonk, shut up the Grand Ole Opry and put a high percentage of radio stations smack out of business. I shutter to think of a world without Blake Shelton, George Strait and Conway Twitty’s songs. And folks should buy up stock in the funeral home business because there are a lot of us who’d crawl up in a casket and suck in our last breath if we had to look ahead to a future without country music. But you asked about my characters … if they could not listen to country music, I expect they’d just have to rely on their memories and sing it, because they wouldn’t listen to anything else.

Mason: Of your main characters in this series, which one was the easiest to write and which one gave you the most trouble?

CB: Like teenage children they all had their moments of difficulty. Sometimes they were downright pesky demanding that I get their personalities just right. Sharlene even woke me up at night and badgered me into changing a scene when she thought she was being too nice. Daisy really liked the Honky Tonk and choosing between it and Jarod was agonizing. Cathy cried on my shoulder (don’t tell her I told you that or she’ll pitch a hissy) when Travis walked out the Honky Tonk door and she didn’t expect to ever see him again. I kept telling Sharlene there was a cure for those nightmares but she didn’t believe me until she curled up in Holt’s arms. But most of the time we got along fairly well!

Mason: If you could only use one word to describe each of your characters and you couldn't use the same word twice, how would you describe them?

CB: Jarod, sexy; Daisy, determined; Cathy, sassy; Travis, hunky; Larissa, beautiful; Hank, damnfine (that’s one word if you say it real fast); Sharlene, kickass (that’s one word, too); Holt, wonderful!

Mason: Is there a central theme you'd like readers to come away with after reading the Honky Tonk series or does each book have it's own theme?

CB: I hope my readers laugh so hard they can’t catch their breath, use up at least a few tissues and sigh at the end because they don’t want the books to end. The central theme would have to be that love conquers all: arguments, misunderstandings, in-laws, outlaws, speed bumps, good times, bad times and blah times.

Mason: Do you think you've shed new light onto how readers look at a honky tonk now?

CB: Oh, yes! My readers have been voicing their opinions and think they’d like to visit the Honky Tonk. I’m wondering when and where someone will ask me to help them design one just like it. When they do I’m going to have all four book covers enlarged to poster size and hang them above the bar. The ladies will love them!

Mason: What can the readers expect next from Carolyn Brown?

CB: I’m working on a series for Sourcebooks Casablanca called Spikes & Spurs about sassy women who give up their Prada and Jimmy Choos for cowboy boots down on the Red River but keep their kickass (see it’s one word!) attitude. And the cowboys in their spurs and Stetsons who find out taming one of those women is a helluva lot tougher than stayin’ on the back of a bull for eight seconds. Love Drunk Cowboy starts the fun in May, 2011.

Oh, Carolyn as always it’s fun having you visit here. I am one of those fans that hated to see the series end, but I’m looking forward to your next kickass ladies. BTW, I plan to have my review of HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS posted here Sunday. Now for a little background on the last two books in the series that just recently went on sale:

MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED

He’s just doing his job…
If Hank Wells thinks he can dig up dirt on the new owner of the Honky Tonk beer joint for his employer, he’s got no idea what kind of trouble he’s courting…

She’s not going down without a fight…
If any dime store cowboy think’s he’s going to get the best of Larissa Morley—or her Honky Tonk—then he’s got another think coming…

As secrets emerge, and passion vies with ulterior motives, it’s winner takes all at the Honky Tonk…

HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS

She Means business…
Sharlene Waverly is determined to have the “new and improved” Honky Tonk up and running before the holiday. For that, she’ll need Holt Jackson, the best darn carpenter in the state. But his warm, whisky-colored eyes make her insides melt, and before she knows it, she’s sharing her darkest secrets and talking about the nightmares…
He’s determined to keep things professional…
Holt Jackson needs the job at the Honky Tonk, but is completely unprepared to handle the beautiful new bar owner he’s working for.

Sharlene and Holt try like crazy to deny the sparks flying between them, but their love may just be the best Christmas present either one of them ever got.

A little more about Carolyn. She has published 36 historical and western romance novels for the library market, many of them bestsellers in that market. Born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma, Carolyn and her husband now make their home in the town of Davis, Oklahoma. For more information on Carolyn and her books, visit her website at: http://www.carolynlbrown.com/

Remember, you have a chance to win a complete set of all four of Carolyn’s books just by commenting. What are your thoughts on sexy cowboys, beautiful independent woman, romance and all the wonderful things that bring family and friends together?